Lumber-joining machine.



Patented Nov. I3, I900.

A. T. LINDERMAN.

LUMBER JOINING MACHINE.

A lm on 111 d May 26 1900 (No Model.)

N M R E D m L 7 W M HIS No. 6s|,542. PatentedNov. l3, I900.

A. T. LINDERMAN.

LUMBER JOINING MACHINE.

(Application filed May 26. 1900.)

(No Model.) 6 Sheets-Shut 2.

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No. 66I,542. Patented Nov. l3, I900.

A. T. LINDERMAN.

LUMBER JOINING MACHINE.

(Application filed May 28, 1900. (No Model.) 6 Shoets-Shaat 3.

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No. 66!,542. Patented Nov. I3, I900.

A. T. LINDERMAN. LUMBER JOINING MACHINE.

(Application filed May 26, 1900.) v (No Modeh) B Sheets-Sheet 4.

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A. T.'LINDEBMAN.

LUMBER JOINING MACHINE.

(Application filed May 26, 1900.)

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(No Model.)

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. No. 661,542. Patented Nov. l3, i900.

A. T. LINDERMAN.

LUMBER JOINING MACHINE. (Application filed May 26, 1900.1 (.No Model.) 6Sheets-sheaf 6.

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UnTTn TaTns PATENT Trice.

ALBERT T. LINDERMAN, OF \VHITEIIALL, MICHIGAN.

LUMBER-JOINING MlACl-illNE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 661,542, dated November13, 1900.

Application filed May 26,1900.

filo (M whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ALBERT T. LINDERMAN, a citizen of the United States,residing in \Vhitehall, in the county of Muskegon and State ofhjlichigan, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Lumber-JoiningMachines, of which the following is a specification.

I have heretofore practiced the uniting of small lumber by cuttingdovetail tongues and grooves along the longitudinal edges of the lumberand then weaving or joining the pieces by sliding the tongues upon theedges of some of the pieces into the grooves formed in the edges of theother pieces. The forming of the dovetail tongues and grooves were,however, separate operations from the weaving or joining of the lumberand performed in separate and distinct machines.

In my present invention I aim to unite two dovetailingmachines togetherand also to render them capable of joininglumber, so that the threeoperations of tonguing, grooving, and weaving may all be performed by asingle machine, thereby saving all necessity for handling the stuffafter the tonguing and grooving and also saving largelyin the number ofattendants required.

My improved machine embodies two sets of cutters for forminginterfitting dovetails on the surfaces of i we pieces oflumber and meansfor bringing said pieces together endwise, with the dovetails inalinement, so that they may then be forced together to carry thedovetails into engagement.

The machine also embraces means for withdrawing the pushing-dogs bywhich the stock is fed from action at the completion of the weaving oruniting operation, so that the work may not be undone by any continuedmovement of the feeding devices.

The machine further embraces means for moving the united lumbertransversely of the machine at the completion of the weaving operation.

These and further features of the invention are fully explained in thesubjoined description and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, inwhich Figure l is aside elevation of the machine.

' Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section on the line 2 2 of Fig. i,enlarged. Fig. 3 is a sec berial Na. 18,052 .No modeln tion on the line3 3 of Fig. 1. u igs. 4. and are detail sections on the lines 4 l and 55, respectively, of Fig. Figs. 6, 6, and 6 are each partial horizontalsections upon the line 6 6 of Fig. 1. Figs. 7 and 8 show thedovetailing-saws employed for cutting the grooves of the dovetail joint.Figs. 9 and 10 are like views showing the saws employed in cutting thetongues. Fig. 11 is an edge view of two pieces of lumber dovetailedtogether by my machine. Fig. 12 isa section of the clutch employed toraise the pressure-bars. Fig. 13 is another section of the same upon theline 13 1-3 of Fig. 12. Fig. l t is a detail View showing the manner ofregistering the number of lineal feet of lumber united by the machine.Fig. 15is an elevation of the gluing-belt. Fig. 16 is an enlargedsection of said belt. Fig. 17 is a detail section showing the meansemployed for withdrawing the pushing-dogs of the carrier from operation.20 are details illustrating the operation of the tripping mechanism.

As already stated, I employ in this machine two sets of dovetail orother tongue and groove cutting devices. One of these sets is supportedin the frame A, the other in the frame 13. Each set consists of suchnumber of cutters as the nature of the joint to be formed requires. Ihave used generally a double dovetail jointthat is to say, oneconsisting of two tongues upon the edge of one piece and twocorresponding grooves upon the edge of the other piece-and for theformation of such tongues and grooves fou r saws Ct at and I) Z) may beused, the same being mounted in pairs upon inclined spindles a ct and bI). These spindles are arranged in line with each other, but inclined inopposite directions, so that the saws of one spindle will cut one sideof the dovetail tongue or groove and the saws of the companion spin dlewill cut the other side thereof and complots the cutting operation.Accompanying each pair of spindles, or each spindle in case the jointused only requires the use of one spindle, I employ a wabble-saw O, forthe purpose of truing or finishing the edge of the lumber. This saw 0 issupported upon the arbor c, and the latter is held in bearings 0 uponthe frame 0. This frame is pivoted at c and secured by set screws to ahorizontally- Figs. 18, 19, and

adjustable frame D, the adjustment whereof is obtained by theadjusting-screws d, bearing upon the edge of the frame. The frame 0' canbe varied as to its inclination upon the frame D by the mode ofattachment shown, and frame D is supported in another frame D, and thelatter is vertically adjustable in the frame D by moving the wedge d inor out,as the case requires,by means of the screw 61 Thedovetailing-spindles are supported in a similar manner to thatillustrated in the case of the wabble-saw. Each of thedovetailing-machines is provided with a table E, on which the stuff tobe joined is placed, and a gage 6, against which it is positionedpreparatory to the operation.

Above the tables E are arranged suitable pressureexerting devices,adapted to bear upon the stuff and hold it in a true path while it isoperated upon. The pressure devices which I prefer to employ consist ofthe series of spring-depressed bars F, supported in suitable frameworkF, each provided with its own pressure-creating springfand also with anantifriction-rollerf. These bars are employed in such number as may berequisite for the'work in hand; but I prefer to employ a large numberand to place them close to,- gether, so that the short lumber will besecurely held and pressure he maintained upon all the lumber until ithas been cut and joined together. This pressure keeps the pieces in lineand prevents any movement by them upon the carrier until after thecompletion of the weaving Operation. Each dovetailing machine is alsoprovided with appropriate carrier mechanism whereby the lumber is forcedto and past the tongue and groove cutters. The form of carrier which Ideem best consists of links G in the case of one of thedovetail-machines and G in the case of the other, each united to form anendless band or series and passing over sprocket-wheels H H and H H",respectively. These carriers are precisely alike; but they move inopposite directions, as indicated by the arrows. They also move inharmony and at a uniform speed, their driving-wheels receiving powerfrom the same shaft by means of like gearing, as hereinafter stated.They travel in parallel lines and are located close together, so theymaybe utilized to unite the dovetailed lumber.- Each link G and G may beprovided with a dog g, kept normally in position by a spring g andadapted to push the stuff by engaging with its end and to carry it solong as the dog remains in operating position. Each dog, however, isadapted to be depressed, so as to withdraw it from engagement with thelumber at the conclusion of the weaving operation, as hereinafter morefully set forth.

No extended description of the tongue and groove cutting mechanism ishere given, as they are in the main of a well-known construction, and itwill be understood that my invention is not limited to the illustratedconstruction of those parts except in so far as such construction isspecifically set forth in the claims. The essential feature inconnection with them is that they be relatively so arranged as to bringthe tongue or tongues formed by one cutting mechanism in register withthe groove or grooves formed by the other cutting mechanism, so thatwhen the pieces of lumber operated upon meet, as they will in thefurther movement of the carriers, the tongues and grooves just out upontheir adjoining edges will be forced into engagement and the pieces bethereby united. This necessitates the placing of one set of cutters uponone side of the plane wherein the pieces of lumber meet and the otherset upon the opposite sideof such plane, and is illustrated at Figs. 6and 6", which showin plan the two sets of cutters.

The carriers of the two cutting mechanisms are'extended so that theirpaths lap. by each othersufficiently to enable the tongue-andgroovedstuff to be united after being cut and before it is discharged. Theextended or lapping portions of the carriers (shown at Fig. 6) locatedbetween the cutting mechanisms (shown at Figs. 6 and 6 and theirpressure devices form the weaving portion of my combined machine. Theycarry the pieces of stuff forward and toward each other and in suchaccurate register as to insure the entry of the tongue of the one withinthe groove of the other. The drawings show atFig. 6 two boards X Ypartially joined by my machine, the same having been previously tonguedand grooved by the cutting mechanisms already described. Other boards XY are shown undergoing the cutting operations in Figs. 6 and (5 To stopthe feeding action of the carriers at the proper time, and thus avoidany undoing of the united lumber by pushing the pieces too far, Iwithdraw the pushing-dogs g of the carrier from action at the completionof the joining operation. This may be done as follows: Each of said dogscarries a de pending hook 2, which in the travel of thecarrier-encounters a cam 3, having a lateral flange '4, adapted toengage the hook and draw it down, and thereby depress the dog below thesurface of the carrier.

Any suitable pressure devices may be used with the weaving portion ofthe machine; but I prefer to employ spring-depressed bars F similar tothe bars F and having the same springsf and rollers f. To render themcapable of being lifted, so as to free the board at the completion ofthe weaving operation and permit its discharge, I support the bars F orso many of them as it is necessary to lift for this purpose in a movableframe F and operate said frame at the proper time by appropriatemechanism, which may consist of the following: When the dogg isdepressed, it strikes a plate 5, mounted upon one end of a lever 65,pivoted centrally at 7, and depresses the end of said lever. From theopposite end of the lever extends a link 8, connecting the lever with astop 9, pivoted stationarily at 10. The movement just ascribed to lever6 results in a lifting of the stop 9 and a subsequent release fromengagement with said stop of the dog 11, pivoted upon one end of thefriction-band 12, encircling the hub 13 of the gear 1% upon thecross-shaft 15. The release of the dog from the stop allows the spring16 to tighten the friction-band upon the hub, and as the band is keyedto the disk 17, which is fast upon said shaft, motion istherehycommunicated to the shaft from the gear, said gear beingcontinuously rotated, as hereinafter stated. The movement nowcommunicated to the shaft 15 actuates the cran k-wheel 1S and lifts thepitman 19. This pitman is connected at its upper end to a triangularpiece 20, mounted upon a cross shaft 21: This cross-shaft carrieslifting-cams 22,which are located upon the movable frame F From thetriangular rocking piece 20 a pit-man 23 extends to a second cam-shaft24, provided with like lifting-cams 22. By this same mechanism it willbe seen that both ends of the movable frame will be simultaneouslyraised through the actuation ofshaft 15, thereby freeing the board fromthe pressure of the pressure devices. The shaft 15 makes one continuousrevolution only at each operation, being stopped by the encountering ofthe stop 9 by the dog 11 and the consequent loosening of thefriction-band. The further movement of the shaft is without effect uponthe pitman 19 by reason of the long slot 25, formed in the lower end ofsaid pitman. To further insure uniformity of action between thecam-shafts which raise the frame F I also connect them at the other sideby cranks 26 and a pitman 27. When the frame F is raised, the cams beingthen in the lifting position, a pawl 28 falls behind one of the cranks26 and operates to hold the crank-shaft stationary for a time with theframe in a raised position. During this interval the board is dischargedfrom the machine either by an attendant or by automatic mechanism, oneform of such mechanism beinghereinafter set forth. The pawl 28 ispivoted stationary at 29, and its farther end is joined to aconnecting-rod 30, which is pivoted to a rocking lever 31, pivoted at Aspring exerts an upward tension upon the con nectingrod 30, so that assoon as the pitman 26 has been moved to bring the cams to their liftingposition said pawl will be at liberty to fall in obedience to saidspring 33. XVhen the requisite time has elapsed for the discharge of theunited board, the pawl 28 is thrown out of engagement with the crank 26,as hereinafter forth.

Longitndinally of the weaving portion of the machine are two shafts 3tand 35, carrya continuously-operated sprockehwheel 38, loosely mountedupon the shaft, but clutched thereto at intervals by the clutch 39. Aspring 40 is employed to close this clutch, but is normally preventedfrom doing so by the bell-crank lever 11, pivoted at 42 and having oneend inserted in an annular groove in the sliding part of the clutch. Thebell-crank lever is controlled by a bar 43, which extends up to theframe F and is depressed and retained in its normal position by saidframe with the clutch open. When, however, the frame is raised, asalready described, the pressure upon bar is released, so that the clutchcan be closed by the spring 40. This results in the imparting of motionto shafts 3t and 35, and such motion continues until one of the pins ordischarging projections 4% upon one of the bands 37 strikes the pivotedlever 31 and causes said lever to throw the pawl 28 out of engagementwith the crank 26. The weight of the frame F will now cause it to returnto its normal position, and in so doing it depresses bar 43 and releasesclutch 39, so that the shafts 34: and 35 must stop.

The discharge-bands are each provided with two projections 14, and themotion communicated to them should be sufficient to carry the bandsthrough onehalf their travel,so that when next actuated one of thedischargingpoints will be in position for quick operation. The stoppingof the discharging devices and the lowering of the frame leaves all theparts in proper position for the next weaving operation.

Power is given to the machine for the actu ation of the carriers and thedischarge in ech anism by means of the pulley 45 upon the shaft 40. Theshaft 16 carries a bevel-gear 17, meshing with the gear 14-. It alsocarries bevel-gcars48 and 49, meshing with like gears 50 and 51,respectively, for driving the wheels H and H of the carriers at auniform speed. A gear engages with gear 50, and being mounted on thesame shaft with the sprocketwheel 53 serves to actuate thesprocket-wheel 38, already mentioned, by means of the sprocketchain 54c.

It is desirable to know the amount of work done in the machine, and forthis purpose I apply one or more automatic registers, each consisting ofa roller 56, adapted to bear upon the stuff united by the machines andgive the lineal measurements thereof, a register 57 being attached tonote the rotationsof the roller. These devices are applied to themachine op posite the cutters, as shown. There may be one such registerfor each of the different widths of stuff operated upon by the machine,and I have shown three located at different distances from the cutters.Of course those a gluing-band 53 maybe employed.

around pulleys 59 and 60, and the latter should be located in areceptacle 61 for liquid glue. The belt passes upward vertically incontact with the edge of one of the pieces of lumber, as shown at Fig.15. I prefer to form the outer surface of the belt of some soft fibrousmaterial, like felt, as shown at 62. The shaft of pulley 59 may bedriven by belt from the shaft of carrier-wheel H.

Of course only such of the carrier-links as it is desired to push thestuff are provided with dogs g, and as the number of dogs employed willvary with the different lengths of stuff operated upon I make such dogsremovable. The position of the cam 3 may also require change, and henceI support itin a longitudinal groove 63 in a stationary part of themachine by means of the bolt 64, there being a number of bolt-holes (notshown) or a slot in the grooved stationary part of the machine to permitthe necessary adjustment of the cam.

Of the pressure-bars which pass through the frame F ,I provide such asare to be lifted with said frame with collars 65. These collars may beremovable, so thatin case of the short stuff the number which will berequired to be lifted by the frame F may be reduced to suit the lengthof the stuff.

My machine enables me to position the stuff when it is first placed inthe machine so that it requires no further attention from the operatoruntil after it is woven together and discharged. The pieces supplied toeach of the cutting mechanisms move in a straight line past theirrespective cutters and into engagement with each other. They do notchange their relative positions, except that they are caused to approacheach other, and hence if accurately placed at the start their tonguesand grooves will register and enter one within the other when they meet.

The operation of the machine is already fully set forth and need not berepeated.

Of course I do not Wish to be limited in all my claims either to thepresence of two oppositely-moving feeders, or to the kind orconstruction shown of such feeders, or to dovetail cutters of the kind,number, or construction shown, or to the construction shown of thetransversely-moving device for forcing the united lumber 01f thecarrier, or to the retractable pushing devices.

I claim-- 1. The combination of cutters for forming the tongue upon theedge of one piece of lumber, carrier mechanism for carrying said piecepast said cutters, cutters for forming the groove upon the edge of theother piece of stuff, and carrier mechanism for carrying said groovedpiece, said cutters being relatively arranged and said carriermechanisms moving in opposite directions and being eX- tended so as tocarry the pieces of stuff to ward each other and cause them to unite,substantially as set forth.

2. The combined tonguing, grooving and weaving machine, consisting ofcutters for forming thetongues, other cutters for forming the grooves,and carriers for each set of said cutters, said carriers moving inopposite directions and carrying the pieces of stuff toward andintoengagement with each other, substantially as specified.

3. The combined tonguing, grooving and weaving machine, consisting ofcutters for forming the tongues and grooves upon the edges of thelumber, and two oppositely-moving carriers relatively arranged andadapted to carry the pieces of lumber past the cutters and intoengagement with each other, substantially as specified.

4. The combined tonguing, grooving and weaving machine, consisting ofcutters for forming the tongues and grooves upon the adjoining edges ofthe lumber, two oppositely moving carriers relatively arranged andadapted to carry the pieces of lumber past the cutters and intoengagement with each other, and pressure devices for holding the lumberdown upon the carriers, substantially as specified.

5. The machine for dovetailing and uniting lumber, consisting of cuttersfor forming the tongues,other cutters forforming the grooves, twooppositely-moving carriers for moving the lumber past the cutters andinto engagement, pressure devices holding the lumber down upon thecarriers while it is being cut, releasable pressure devices holding thelumber while it is being united, and means for releasing saidlast-mentioned pressure devices, substantially as specified.

6. The combined tonguing, grooving and weaving machine, consisting ofcutters for forming the tongues and grooves, and means for feeding anduniting the lumber, said means being provided with pushing devices whichare withdrawn from their acting positions at the conclusion of theuniting operation, substantially as specified.

7. The combination with 0ppositely-moving carriers arranged and adaptedto unite dovetailed lumber, of mechanism moving transversely of thecarrier and acting to eject the united lumber from the machine,substantially as specified.

8. The combination with oppositely-moving carriers arranged and adaptedto unite dovetailed lumber, of releasable pressure devices for each ofsaid carriers acting to hold the lumber down thereon, means forreleasing said pressure devices, and means for discharging the unitedlumber, substantially as specified.

9. The combination with oppositely-moving carriers arranged and adaptedto unite dovetailed lumber, and each provided with retractable pushingdevices, of means for simultaneously retracting the pushing devices ofboth carriers, substantially as specifled.

10. The combination of the oppositelymoving carriers adapted to unitedovetailed lumber, the retractable pushing devices mounted upon saidcarriers and means such as cam 3, for retracting said pushing devices,with pressure devices for holding the lumber down while it is beingjoined, and means for raising said pressure devices at the completion ofthe joining, substantially as set forth.

11. The combination with the oppositelymoviug carriers adapted to unitedovetailed lumber, and each provided with retractable pushing devices,of means for simultaneously retracting the pushing devices of bothcarriers, and means for ejecting the united lun1- ber, substantially asspecified.

12. In a lumber-joining machine, mechanism for uniting the lumbertogether, consisting of two oppositely-moving carriers, pressure devicesfor holding the lumber down upon said carriers while it is being united,means for lifting said pressure devices, and automatic mechanism fordischarging the united lumber, substantially as set forth.

The combination with the tongue and groove cutters, of feeding devicesmoving in opposite directions and relatively arranged and adapted tocarry the lumber into engagemept, substantially as set forth.

1%. The combination with the endless and oppositely-moving carriers andtheir retractable pushing devices, of cams 3 for withdraw ing saidpushing devices, substantially as specified.

15. The combination with the endless and oppositely-moving carriers andtheir retractable pushing devices, of adjustable cam 3, for withdrawingsaid pushing devices from the lumber, substantially as set forth.

16. The combination with the oppositelymoving carriers of pressuredevices, a movable frame F supporting said pressure devices, mechanismfor lifting said frame and cams for locking the frame momentarily in theraised position, substantially as specified.

17. The combination with the oppositelymoving carriers relativelyarranged so as to adapt them to unite dovetailed lumber, of crossdischarging-belts extending across both carriers so as to adapt them toeject the united lumber from the machine, and means for actuating saidbelts at proper intervals, substantially as specified.

18. The combination with cutters for form ing the tongues upon thelumber, other outters for forming the grooves therein, andoppositely-moving carriers relatively arranged so as to adapt them tocarry the pieces of lumber past the cutters and into engagement witheach other, of flue-applying mechanism located at the side of one of thecarriers and between the cutters acting upon the stuff moved by thatcarrier and the point where the pieces are united, substantially asspecifled.

19. The combined tonguing moving and o weaving machine, consisting ofcutting mechanism for forming the tongues located at one end of themachine, cutting inet-hanism for forming the grooves located at theother end of the machine and oppositely'moving carriers for feeding thestuff past said cutting mechanisms, said carriers being extended so asto lap by each other intermediate of said cutting mechanism andotherwise arranged to carry the stuff into engagement, and means forholding the lumber upon said carriers while it is being operated upon,substantially as specified.

20. The combination with cutters for cutting the tongues, cutters forcutting the grooves, and oppositely-moving carriers relatively arrangedand adapted to unite dovetailed lumber as described, of aseries ofpressure devices a portion whereof act upon the lumber during thecutting and another portion whereof act thereon during the uniting,substantially as specified.

21. The combination of two opposite feeders placed adjacent and parallelto each other and with one end of each extended past one end of theother, and pressure devices located as described so as to adapt them tohold the lumber in position while being joined by said feeders,substantially as set forth.

22. The combination with two oppositelymoving, parallel, adjacent andlapping fceders, adapted and arranged relatively to each other to carrythe pieces of lumber to be joined into engagement with each other, ofcutters for cutting the tongue on the edge of one piece, and othercutters for cutting the groove on the edge of the other piece,substantially as specified.

23. The lumber-joining machine having cutters for cutting interfittingdovetails on the surfaces of two different pieces of lumber, and meansfor bringing the pieces together and forcing the cut surfaces intoengagement, substantially as specified.

24. The lumber-joining machine having two sets of cutters for forminginterfitting dovetails on the surfaces of two pieces of lumher, andmeans for bringing said pieces together endwise with the dovetails inalinement, preparatory to forcing them into engagement, substantially asspecified.

25. The lumber-joining machine having two sets of cutters for forminginter-fitting dovetails on the surfaces of two pieces of lum her, andmeans for bringing said pieces together endwise with the dovetails inalinement, and means for forcing the dovetails into engagement,substantially as specified.

26. The lumber-joining machine having two sets of cutters for forminginterfitting dovetails on the surfaces of two pieces of lumher, andmeans for bringing said pieces together endwise with the dovetails inalinement and acting also to force the dovetails into engagement,substantially as specified.

27. The lumber -joining machine having two sets of cutters for forminginterfitting means of said dovetails, of means for moving the unitedpieces transversely, substantially as specified.

V 30. The combination in a lumber-joining machine with means for forminginterfitting dovetails on the surfaces of two pieces of lumher, andmeans for forcing the dovetails into engagement by a movementlongitudinal of the dovetails, of means for moving the united pieces atright angles to the dovetails, substantially as specified.

ALBERT T. LINDERMAN.

Witnesses:

E. R. MORTON. E. HARVVOOD.

